With the impact of climate change increasing by the day, scientists are studying the ways in which human behavior contributes to the damage.
With the impact of climate change increasing by the day, scientists are studying the ways in which human behavior contributes to the damage. A recent study at Walla Walla University, by a collaboration of researchers from Walla Walla University and La Sierra University, examined the effects of acidic water on octopuses, potentially bringing new insight into both how our activities impact the world around us, and the way that world is adapting in response.
The study, "Impact of Short- and Long-Term Exposure to Elevated Seawater Pco2 on Metabolic Rate and Hypoxia Tolerance in Octopus rubescens," focused on the metabolic rate of octopuses exposed to water acidified by carbon dioxide, and the changes it made to the animals. CO2 is a key indicator of the growing acidity of our oceans because much of the gas released into the air by humans is dissolving into the seawater.
Initial work in the field focused on the negative effects of ocean acidity: the impaired growth of affected species such as hermit crabs, for example, or reduced survival rates of certain types of fish over time. Adaptability, however, has not received as much attention, particularly when it comes to octopuses and other cephalopods. What studies have been conducted showed conflicting results, particularly when it comes to short-term vs. long-term exposure to increased ocean acidity (OA).
For instance, studies on cuttlefish show no significant change in their metabolism after exposure to increased OA, while squid subjected to the same conditions showed a reduction in aerobic metabolism, indicating reduced oxygen circulation in the subjects.
Read more at University of Chicago Press Journals
Photo Credit: edmondlafoto via Pixabay
